The Imperial Matcha Tea Powder

Japanese Wabi Sabi or imperial matcha tea powder is simply green tea powder specially made and packaged for Japaneseconsumption or made in this form from Japan.

 

This form of matcha tea powder normally comes in a sealed bag inside a further sealed storage tin usually with Japanese washi paper.

Historically, imperial matcha tea powder has always been used in traditional Japanese “Chado” tea ceremonies.

This form of powdered tea has been around as early as 1586, considered having been created by a Chado master, Sen no Rikyu. Traditionally, there are two ways to serve matcha tea in a tea ceremony. The first is Usu Cha or thin tea that is served to an individual in a single bowl. The other is Koi Cha or thick tea that is served and shared among several guests.

Japanese matcha tea is basically the same as other matcha tea in green tea powder form. Like all teas, the manufacturing starts with the tea leaves. The green tea leaves are shaded up to 4 weeks, steamed, and then dried out without rolling.

The resulting dried tea leaves are called Tencha, and after which veins and leaf steams are removed. This dried tea leaves are then ground into a fine powder by using stone mills. It takes around 300 grams from the original tea leaf harvest to make around 30 grams of matcha powder. Imagine the catechins, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins that have now been packed into this 30 grams.

In terms of antioxidants and fiber content, matcha tea definitely beats coffee hands down. While coffee does have its share of antioxidants and fiber, matcha tea or imperial matcha tea contains twenty times more of the aforementioned than any type of coffee beverage. It has even been proven by medical research that matcha tea can prevent allergies from recurring. Some regular matcha tea drinkers have also described how they have stopped taking their allergy medications about less than a week after starting to drink matcha tea regularly.

Will Always Beat Coffee

How to Prepare Matcha Tea

For traditional brewing:

• Warm the Matcha bowl and whisk by setting the whisk in the bowl and adding hot water. After a minute, discard the water.

• Place 1 teaspoon matcha, or 2 bamboo chashaku tea scoops, in the bowl. Pour in 4 ounces of hot water heated between 175-185 degrees.

• Rapidly stir with whisk until a fine foam appears on the surface.

How to Prepare Matcha Tea

For contemporary brewing or thin tea:

• Use 1 teaspoon matcha per 8 ounce of hot water heated between 175-185 degrees.

• Whisk with bamboo whisk, froth with milk or shake (if using water bottle) until a fine foam appears.

Green tea powder or imperial matcha tea is a great main ingredient in making healthy

goodies such as matcha imperial cookies or mixing matcha tea with almonds to make a

sweet but still healthy drink.